The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient, in a beam treatment center comprising a floor, with positively charged particles, comprising: (1) a synchrotron mounted to an elevated floor section above the floor of the beam treatment center; (2) a beam transport system, comprising: at least three fixed-position beam transport lines, where none of the synchrotron and the beam transport system penetrate through the floor of the beam treatment center; (3) the positively charged particles transported from the synchrotron, through the beam transport system, to a position above a patient positioning system during use; and (4) an optional repositionable nozzle system connected to a first, second, and third fixed-position beam transport line at a first, second, and third time, respectively, where the nozzle track forms an arc of a circle and the repositionable nozzle system moves along the nozzle track.

Methods, devices and systems for ultra-high dose radiotherapy are disclosed. The described techniques rely in-part on active switching control of a photoconductive switch during the time the accelerator is accelerating charged particles to produce the output radiation at the desired dose rates. One flash radiotherapy system includes an induction accelerator, and a controllable switch coupled to the induction accelerator. The switch is operable to produce a plurality of voltage pulses to drive the induction accelerator. The radiotherapy system also includes a radiation measurement device to measure output radiation produced by the radiotherapy system and provide feedback to the controllable switch. The controllable switch is operable to, based on the received feedback, modify an amplitude, shape, spacing, number or width of the voltage pulses that are supplied to the particle accelerator to deliver the desired output radiation.

A scanning magnet that deflects a charged particle beam has a winding U provided with grooves SL1 and SL4 provided at facing positions. A passing direction of a conductive wire forming the winding U passes through the groove SL1 in a γ-axis positive direction, and passes through the groove SL4 in a γ-axis negative direction. The winding U has a loop path SL1-SL4 in which the groove SL1 is directed to the γ-axis positive direction, and the groove SL4 is directed to the γ-axis negative direction. When a current flows in the γ-axis positive direction in a winding section U+ disposed in the groove SL1, a current flows in the γ-axis negative direction in a winding section U− disposed in the groove SL4. A yoke, the winding U, a winding V, and a winding W have a 120° rotationally symmetric structure with respect to a central axis of the yoke.

The invention provides a device for the production, moderation and configuration of a neutron beam, comprising: an inlet opening (1) through which a proton beam is directed; a target (2) against which the proton beam is accelerated in order to generate neutrons; a moderator (3) to bring the neutrons to energies of the epithermal range; a reflective cover (4) surrounding the moderator (3); a filtration stage (5); an outlet opening (6) for the neutron beam, and a shield (7) to suppress the neutrons and gamma-radiation that do not exit the device via said outlet opening. The filtration stage (5) comprises at least three layers to filter respectively: rapid neutrons, thermal neutrons and gamma-radiation The invention is of use in neutron capture therapies, and more specifically, in boron therapies.

A radiotherapy device can include a radiation source configured to deliver kilovolt (KV) or megavolt (MV) radiation and a detector configured to detect the delivered radiation and generate a plurality of images of a subject located between the radiation source and the detector. The radiotherapy device can further include a controller configured to detect an erroneous pixel in an image of the plurality of images and generate an averaged image. Each pixel of the averaged image can be generated by taking an average of two or more respective pixels in two or more corresponding locations of one or more of the plurality of images, and generating a pixel of the averaged image in a corresponding location to the erroneous pixel comprises excluding the erroneous pixel from the taking of the average.

A scanning magnet that deflects a charged particle beam has a winding U provided with grooves SL1 and SL4 provided at facing positions. A passing direction of a conductive wire forming the winding U passes through the groove SL1 in a γ-axis positive direction, and passes through the groove SL4 in a γ-axis negative direction. The winding U has a loop path SL1-SL4 in which the groove SL1 is directed to the γ-axis positive direction, and the groove SL4 is directed to the γ-axis negative direction. When a current flows in the γ-axis positive direction in a winding section U+ disposed in the groove SL1, a current flows in the γ-axis negative direction in a winding section U− disposed in the groove SL4. A yoke, the winding U, a winding V, and a winding W have a 120° rotationally symmetric structure with respect to a central axis of the yoke.

Embodiments of systems, devices, and methods relate to controlling beams for use in beam systems. An example method of controlling a travel path of a beam includes propagating a beam along a first path from an entry point of a dipole magnet through a non-gradient portion of the dipole magnet until the beam bends toward a first beam travel path of multiple beam travel paths of the dipole magnet. The example method further includes propagating the beam along the first beam travel path through a gradient portion of the dipole magnet to focus the beam for propagation to a downstream target. Embodiments further permit a compact beam system such that a series of magnets can be used to create a path that accommodates shielding to minimize the footprint of the beam system for facilities that may not otherwise support large systems due to space and safety constraints.

Light devices, such as field lights or range finders, used in radiation generating devices, such as linear accelerators. The radiation generating devices can be used for, but are not limited to, medical treatment applications. Improved configurations for the light devices are described. The light devices may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source which can be used to replace an existing light source, for example a light source that uses a halogen lamp. For example, a light device for a radiation generating device can include at least one light emitting diode having an illumination axis and at least one optical element having an optical axis, where the illumination axis is offset from the optical axis.

A proton cyclotron is provided for dedicated use in head, neck and eye cancers, tumors or other medical conditions including pediatric and other cancers or medical conditions. The method of using a proton cyclotron for treating a tumor, cancer or medical condition of a patient includes positioning the patient on a support platform, such as on a patient table or in a robotic chair, and irradiating the tumor, cancer or other medical condition using a proton particle beam from the cyclotron for a predetermined time sufficient to treat the tumor, cancer or medical condition, wherein the proton particle beam produced by the cyclotron has an energy in a range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV and has a beam current in an amount suitable for radiation therapy, as can include a variable range of beam current for the radiation therapy.

According to one embodiment, a particle beam accelerator comprising: an injection unit configured to inject a particle beam; a guiding unit configured to guide the particle beam to a trajectory; an acceleration unit configured to accelerate the particle beam circulating on the trajectory; an emission unit configured to output the particle beam; a particle beam blocking unit configured to block the particle beam on the trajectory; a control unit configured to control the injection unit, the guiding unit, the acceleration unit, the emission unit, and the particle beam blocking unit, wherein: the guiding unit includes a superconducting electromagnet and a superconducting electromagnet interrupter configured to interrupt the superconducting electromagnet, the control unit is configured to change a starting sequence of the particle beam blocking unit and the superconducting electromagnet interrupter depending on at least an operating state of the emission unit, when an abnormality occurs in the superconducting electromagnet.